MADE FOR FAMILIES IN UNITED KINGDOM
Home education in United Kingdom, planned for you
Tell Kuraplan your children's ages and what United Kingdom expects. It writes lessons, worksheets and the records you need, in the language of the National Curriculum.
Home education in United Kingdom: the rules, the registration and a plan that works
In the UK, parents have a legal duty to make sure their child receives a suitable full-time education from the age of five, and the law is explicit that this can happen 'at school or otherwise'. Home education (the term used here far more than homeschooling) has always been legal, needs no qualifications, and does not have to follow the National Curriculum, sit exams, or keep school hours.
That light-touch regime is changing. The Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 became law in April 2026 and will bring in a local-authority register of children not in school in England, with new duties on parents to provide information; the home education sections are expected to commence in 2027 once regulations are published. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own arrangements, covered in the nation guides below. This page gives the UK-wide picture and the step-by-step for England.
Last reviewed 2026-09-07. Informational, not legal advice. Verify with GOV.UK: Educating your child at home before acting.
Step by step
How to start home education in United Kingdom
- 1
Decide, and if your child is at school, deregister
In England and Wales, write to the school asking for your child's name to be removed from the admissions register; the school must comply and inform the local authority. If the child attends a special school under an EHC plan, the local authority's consent is needed first. Under the 2026 Act, consent will also be required for some children subject to child-protection enquiries once those provisions commence.
- 2
Expect contact from the local authority
The LA may write to ask about the education you provide. There is currently no duty to accept a home visit or to follow a set format, but a written summary of your approach and resources is the usual, sensible response. Once the register commences, providing basic information will become a legal duty.
- 3
Plan an education that is 'suitable' and 'efficient'
Case law defines this as preparing the child for life in modern society and achieving what it sets out to achieve. It need not be the National Curriculum, but most families use it as a reference for English, maths and science while teaching everything else their own way.
- 4
Plan the exam route early
Home-educated students sit GCSEs and A-levels as private candidates at an exam centre. Places must be booked months ahead and cost roughly £100–£300 per subject. IGCSEs are popular because they avoid coursework and controlled assessment.
United Kingdom requirements at a glance
Legal basis: Education Act 1996 s.7 (England and Wales); Education (Scotland) Act 1980; Education (NI) Order 1986. Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026 introduces a Children Not in School register in England, expected to commence in 2027.
- Notification
- England and Wales: none currently, beyond deregistering from a school. Scotland: consent from the council is required to withdraw a child already at a state school. Northern Ireland: notify the Education Authority. England's register under the 2026 Act is expected from 2027.
- Curriculum
- No prescribed subjects or curriculum anywhere in the UK. The education must be suitable to the child's age, ability and aptitude and any special needs.
- Hours and days
- No minimum. 'Full-time' has no legal definition for home education; the LA looks at whether the education is efficient, not at hours.
- Assessment
- No compulsory tests or inspections. Exams (GCSE, A-level) are optional and taken as a private candidate.
- Records
- Not legally required, but a short written report and examples of work make any LA enquiry straightforward.
Dates to put on your calendar
- Exam entries as a private candidate typically close in January or February for summer sittings; book the centre in the autumn.
- England's register: watch for commencement regulations and your LA's instructions, expected 2027.
Curriculum
The National Curriculum (England), Curriculum for Wales, Curriculum for Excellence (Scotland) and the NI Curriculum are optional references. Most families follow the Key Stage structure loosely for maths and English and use it as a checklist rather than a syllabus.
Assessment
No compulsory assessment. Many families take a few IGCSEs at 14–16 as private candidates, then A-levels, BTECs or college courses at 16+.
Funding
No public funding for home education in any UK nation. Exam fees, resources and tutoring are paid by the family. Some councils fund exam fees for children with EHC plans; ask.
Plan it with Kuraplan
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Lessons for every child at once
One family topic, output at each child's level: a drawing task, a paragraph, an essay. Printables included.
Records without the scramble
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United Kingdom home education FAQ
Is home education legal in the UK?
Yes, across all four nations. Section 7 of the Education Act 1996 requires parents to provide a suitable education 'at school or otherwise'. No permission is needed in England, Wales or Northern Ireland to educate a child who has never attended school; Scotland requires council consent to withdraw a child from a state school.
Do I have to follow the National Curriculum?
No. Home-educated children in the UK are not required to follow the National Curriculum, sit SATs, or keep school hours. Most families use it as a reference for English, maths and science.
What is changing under the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026?
England will have a local-authority register of children not in school, a duty on parents to provide information for it, and a requirement for local-authority consent to home educate certain children (those at special schools or subject to child-protection enquiries). The Act received Royal Assent in April 2026; the home education provisions are expected to commence in 2027 after regulations and guidance are published.
How do home-educated children take GCSEs?
As private candidates at a school or exam centre that accepts them, paying per subject. IGCSEs are the usual choice because they have no coursework. Book in the autumn for summer exams.
Do I get any money for home educating?
No. There is no home education allowance in the UK, and no tax relief. Free resources, libraries, and home-ed groups keep costs down; exam fees are the main expense.
Informational, not legal advice. Rules and forms change; verify with GOV.UK: Educating your child at home before acting. Reviewed 2026-09-07.
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